 |
Softball News
ESPN PRE SEASON ALL AMERICANS First Team Preseason All-America selections: Second Team Preseason All-America selections:
ASA 2008 National Championships: Need information? Click here.
ISA (Independant Softball Association) released their 2008 World Series information. More info...
USSSA Fastpitch announces 2008 World Series dates and locations. More info...
PONY Softball Announces 2008 Girls Softball National Championship Sites and Dates (updated) More info...
Protect Our Nations Youth (Pony) announced their 2008 Tournament of Stars Coaching Staff. They are Head Coach Chuck Blair-Santa Clara, Ca. Assistant Coaches, Ted Tamone-Santa Clara, CA Rocky Median-Brooklyn, NY and Business Manager Abel Hernandez-Campbell, CA. Babe Ruth League Inc. recently announced their 2008 softball rule changes. Among the most notable changes: Stealing is now permitted in 10u. Pitchers in 12u may now pitch a maximum of 9 innings in any two consecutive games (Old rule was 6 innings). Also, tournament Managers and Coaches must complete coaching education and certification prior to the start of their first level of tournament competition.
See the full list of rule changes here.
Combat’s Lady Virus VIRSP3 Bat 1/7/2008 The Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States, today announced that the softball bat model VIRSP3 Lady Virus manufactured by the CE Composites, Inc. (DBA Combat) is no longer authorized for use in ASA Championship Play. Other governing bodies that currently use ASA’s bat performance standards such as the NCAA, NFHS, NAIA, NJCAA will continue to use the ASA’s non approved bat list and restrict such bats in 2008 and beyond. “We are disappointed with the situation but understand that our contract with the ASA requires a bat to be placed on the ASA Non Approved list after it fails consecutive compliance tests”, said Steven Sutherland, President of CE Composites. “We acknowledge full responsibility for this situation. Please visit our website, www.combatsoftball.com, to learn more about our efforts to deal with this situation.” ASA conducts random audit testing of various approved models throughout each calendar year to verify that the manufacturers’ bat models comply with the standards currently in effect. It was through this auditing process, that it was discovered that the VIRSP3 Lady Virus failed to comply with the ASA Bat Performance Standard.
The
NSA has announced that the 2008 team registrations are now open, and you can start signing up now to receive your 2008 sanction number. Their website also announced the Youth NSA Winter World Series is to be held in Clearwater, Florida on February 15-17, 2008.
Lisa Fernandez is one of the best fastpitch softball players to ever play the game. Read a little about her in this
USA Today Article.
USA Goes 11 Innings for 3-2 Win Over Japan (posted Nov. 27) YOKOHAMA, Japan – It was a battle of two of the world’s best softball teams and it was evident as the United States Women’s National team fought through 11 innings to bring home another Japan Cup title with a 3-2 victory over Japan in Yokohama, Japan. Despite two errors and two wild pitches, which resulted in two runs, the team rallied back to defeat Japan 3-2 in the title game of the Japan Cup. Yukiko Ueno and Monica Abbott (Salinas, Calif.) started in their respective circles and it was a pitching duel with three up three down until Japan’s Ayumi Karino singled in the third. Karino stole second and reached third on a throwing error by catcher Stacey Nuveman (La Verne, Calif.) but an Abbott strikeout kept runners off the board. The top of the batting order broke the 0-0 game in the fourth when Caitlin Lowe (Tustin, Calif.) singled to lead off the inning. She advanced to second on a passed ball, moving to third when Natasha Watley (Irvine, Calif.) singled to centerfield. Lowe scored off an RBI single by Jessica Mendoza (Camarillo, Calif.) to give the team a 1-0 lead. Hiroki Sakai came in at the top of the fifth to pitch for Japan. In the sixth, mistakes by the U.S. defense cost the team a run. Leadoff batter Karino was hit by a pitch and would advance to third on a wild pitch. She would score on a throwing error by Nuveman to even the score at 1-1. Neither team could break the tie in the seventh, pushing the game into extra innings with Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas) coming in to pitch. Abbott threw six complete innings with 11 strikeouts, giving up one run and one wild pitch. The score remained tied until the bottom of the 10th when the red, white and blue took their first lead in 10 innings. With Mendoza at second due to International tie breaker rule, Crystl Bustos (Canyon County, Calif.) was intentionally walked. Nuveman came through with a single to load up the bases. They would however have to wait for one more batter as Kelly Kretschman (Indian Harbour, Fla.) reached on a fielders choice with Lauren Lappin (Anaheim, Calif.), pinch running for Nuveman, called out at home. A walk issued to Tairia Flowers (Tucson, Ariz.) broke the tie in the 10th with the U.S. only needing three outs to take away the win. Japan however was not going to give up that easy as they again tied up the game in the 10th when Yamada, who was the tie breaking runner on second, crossed home plate on a wild pitch to tie up the game. Watley took back the lead with a single to center field, plating Lovie Jung (Fountain Valley, Calif.) to give the team a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the 11th. Two strikeouts by Osterman and a runner caught stealing was all the United States needed to secure a 3-2 win. Osterman threw 5.0 complete innings with 10 strikeouts, allowing two hits and one run. Mendoza was the leading hitter of the event and Watley was named MVP of the Japan Cup. Mendoza hit .368 (7-for-19) in four starts with Watley putting up three RBI including the game winning one.
ASA Announces 2008 USA Softball Women’s National Team OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) announced today its roster for the 2008 USA Softball Women’s National Team who will spend the next year preparing to defend their three gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. The team will kick off a 40-city U.S. Tour titled ‘Bound 4 Beijing’ in February, giving fans all over the United States the opportunity to see the 2008 National Team. The four year process culminated with the final selection camp held last week in Chula Vista, CA with 32 participants. The 2008 USA Softball Women’s National Team roster includes 12 2004 Gold Medalist with 15 of the 2006 World Championship team making the roster. Three members of the 18-member roster will eventually be named replacements with 15 nominated to the United States Olympic Committee, prior to July 1, 2008, as the official roster for the 2008 Olympic Games. Below are the members of the 2008 National Team: Monica Abbott, Salinas, Calif. (University of Tennessee ‘07) – Abbott, the youngest member of the team, is a two-time member of the National Team. She has also competed as a member of the 2004 World University Team and 2003 Junior Team. Abbott led the pitching staff in 2007 with a 6-0 record for a 0.00 ERA. In 26.2 innings pitched, she issued no walks and no earned runs. Laura Berg, Santa Fe Springs, Calif. (Graduate ’98) – Outfielder Berg is one of two three-time Olympic gold medalist to be selected to the 2008 Women’s National Team. Along with her two Olympic gold medals, Berg has captured gold at four World Championships and three Pan American Games as well as received the honor of carrying the flag during closing ceremonies at the 2007 Pan American Games. Crystl Bustos, Canyon Country, Calif. (Palm Beach C.C.) –Bustos has established herself as one of the most feared hitters in the World and will look to earn her third Olympic gold medal. The team will look to her for a repeat performance of the ‘04 Games where she broke Olympic records with five homeruns and 10 RBI. She is coming off a 25-RBI summer in 2007 where she had 22 hits with a team-high seven homeruns.
Andrea Duran, Selma, Calif. (UCLA ’06) – Duran makes her third-consecutive appearance on the National Team roster after spending time on the World University, Elite and Junior team rosters. Solid at third base, Duran made an impressive run the past summer including a grand slam at her first Pan American Games. She is also a two-time World Cup Champion as well as 2006 World Champion. Lisa Fernandez, Long Beach, Calif. (UCLA ’95) – Right-handed pitcher Lisa Fernandez makes her return to the National Team roster after a three year hiatus. She will possibly be making her fourth appearance at the games, one of only two athletes to accomplish this. She has pitched in three Olympic games, including earning the win in the circle of the Gold Medal 5-1 victory over Australia in 2004 as well as a top offensive contributor hitting .545 (12-for-22) at the Games. Jennie Finch, La Mirada, Calif. (Arizona ’02) – Two-time World Champion Finch will look to become a two-time Olympian, after making the National Team for her seventh consecutive season. Finch has dominated in the circle, even coming back three months after having her son Ace in 2006 to compete the remainder of the season. Finch made two appearances at the ’04 Games, working 8.0 innings with 13 strikeouts. Tairia Flowers, Tucson, Ariz. (UCLA ’04) – A utility player at first, third and catcher, Flowers has been a solid player for the red, white and blue with six seasons of experience at the National level. The 2004 Olympian emerged this past 2007 leading the team throughout the summer with a batting average of .543 including her first career grand slam at the World Cup of Softball. Vicky Galindo, Union City, Calif. (Cal ’04) – Galindo has combined speed, power and defensive play to become an all around player and will look to continue that as she looks for a spot at her first Olympic Games. Galindo, seeing time at second and designated player, is coming off an outstanding 2007 where she was second on the team with a .500 (18-for-36) batting average and no errors in the field.
Alicia Hollowell, Suisun, Calif. (Arizona ’06) – Hollowell, in her third-consecutive year on the National team, brings another right-handed pitcher to the pitching staff. Hollowell, earned her first World Championship in 2006. In 15 appearances as a member of the National Team, Hollowell has posted an ERA of 0.19 with a 7-1 record. Lovieanne Jung, Fountain Valley, Calif. (Arizona ’03) – Second baseman Jung has been a fixture on the National Team level since 2002 when she made her first appearance at the ISF World Championships. She is a two-time World Champion and Pan American Champion and is looking to earn her second-Olympic gold medal after drawing a team-high five walks during the ’04 Games. Kelly Kretschman, Indian Harbour Beach, Fla. (Alabama ’01) – A 2000 Olympic team alternate and 2004 Olympic team member, Kretschman makes her second-consecutive season on the team roster after a year absence. She came back strong in 2007 hitting .474 (18-for-38) with 13 RBI and 15 runs scored. Kretschman played in all nine games of the 2004 Games and was the only one on the roster to hit at least one single, double, triple and homerun for a .333 average. Lauren Lappin, Anaheim, Calif. (Stanford ’06) – Lappin, the youngest member of the 2004 National Team at 19, served as an alternate at the 2004 games but will look to compete at the Games this year. Lappin had a stellar return to the National Team roster in 2007, hitting fourth on the team with a .480 (12-for-25) average. Caitlin Lowe, Tustin, Calif. (Arizona ’07) - Lowe has served as leadoff batter over the past couple seasons for the National Team and will be making her fourth National Team roster. Since 2005, Lowe has contributed 74 hits and scored 60 runs, the third best of the team. She is also 23-25 in stolen bases in 58 games played at the National Team level. Jessica Mendoza, Camarillo, Calif. (Stanford ’02) – Outfielder Jessica Mendoza has been one of the top run producers on the USA National Team since the 2001 season. In 2006, she played a major role in the U.S. winning its first World Cup as well as its seventh-World Championship title, including hitting the game winning homerun in the Gold Medal game of the World Championships. Stacey Nuveman, La Verne, Calif. (UCLA ’02) – Catcher Stacey Nuveman was an integral part in both the 2000 and 2004 Gold Medal Victories. She had the only hit of the 2000 Gold Medal game and a homerun in the 2004 Gold Medal Game. Nuveman returns to the squad after taking of the 2007 season with the birth of her son, Chase. Cat Osterman, Houston, Texas (Texas ’06) – Osterman has emerged as one of the best pitchers in the world, defeating some of the world’s top teams. She has earned the start and complete game in the circle in big games including the championship games at both the 2006 World Championships and 2006 and 2007 World Cup. Jenny Topping, Whittier, Calif. (Cal-State Fullerton ‘03) – Providing depth behind the plate, Topping enters the 2008 National team roster for her seventh season. Topping earned the starting spot as catcher in 2007 with Nuveman out for the season. Topping saw action in four games during the 2004 Olympic Games, going 4-for-6 for a .667 average. Natasha Watley, Irvine, CA. (UCLA ’03) – A highly recognized shortstop, Natasha Watley joins her seventh National team after an exceptional 2007 season. She hit .466 with 27 hits and a team-high two triples, scoring 21 runs. For her efforts at the Canada Cup, she was named to the All-Tournament team for the shortstop position. She started all nine games at the ’04 Games, tying a team-best 12 hits for a .400 average. Coaches for the 2008 USA Softball Women's National Team will be Head Coach Mike Candrea (Casa Grande, Ariz.) from the University of Arizona, Assistant Coach Chuck D’Arcy (Sacramento, Calif.), Assistant Coach Karen Johns (Charlottesville, Va.) and Assistant Coach John Rittman (San Jose, Calif.) from Stanford University. The USA Softball Women’s National Team has a record of 24-4 over the last three Olympic Games including an undefeated 9-0 record at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, outscoring opponents 51-1. The team broke 16 records in 2004 including breaking eight of their own records previously set. On top of three Olympic Gold Medals, the U.S. women are eight-time World Champions and two-time World Cup Champions. Be sure to check out USASOFTBALL.COM for the latest and most up-to-date information surrounding the Women’s National Team and the “Bound 4 Beijing’ tour schedule.
Jump from Softball News to our Home Page
|
